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Moscow, Dec 10 (IANS/RIA Novosti):
Russian Olympic Committee chief Alexander Zhukov has praised the idea of a European Olympics after Baku was named their first host city for 2015.
The capital of Azerbaijan was the only bidder for the inaugural edition of the Games, and hosting rights were granted after a weekend vote by 49 members of the European Olympic Committee in Rome.
“This idea to stage a European Games has been hanging in the air for a while now,” Zhukov said in comments to his committee’s website.
“The Games will no doubt provide a new impulse for the development of sport on our continent.”
Zhukov vowed that Russia, which many thought would also bid for the event, “is ready to provide the closest possible support with the national Olympic committee of Azerbaijan to ensure the preparations for the first European Games in history are a success.”
Several parties including athletics’ governing body the IAAF came out against the idea of cramming more events into a busy schedule.
